1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the telecommunications field and, in particular, to a communications network and method for screening incoming circuit switched calls directed to a mobile terminal operating in packet switched mode.
2. Description of Related Art
Some of the mobile terminals currently available to subscribers have the capability to communicate within a communications network that supports both circuit switched communications and packet switched communications. The circuit switched communications include voice and data messages that occur in a circuit switched network incorporating, for example, the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). Whereas, the packet switched communications include data applications that occur in a packet switched network incorporating, for example, the Internet.
Developers of telecommunication systems have predicted that packet switched communications will encompass a significant part of cellular traffic in the future. Consequently, a problem may occur more frequently where a called party using the mobile terminal for packet switched communications may be interrupted by a voice page whenever an incoming circuit switched call from a calling party is received by the circuit switched network. The voice page is transmitted to the called party by an operator""s communication network only when a voice paging service is active.
Unfortunately, the called party upon receiving the voice page has no informative way to decide whether or not to accept the circuit switched call, because the voice page does not identify the calling party. Therefore, the current voice paging service can be very disruptive to the called party especially when the called party discontinues an ongoing packet switched communication to answer the circuit switched call of an unannounced calling party. In fact, the called party may be disrupted every time an unwanted voice page is received from the current voice paging service.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and communications network for screening incoming circuit switched calls directed to a mobile terminal operating in packet switched mode. There is also a need of a communications network and method for permitting the called party to update a list containing phone number(s) that are not screened if the listed phone number is the same as a phone number associated with an incoming circuit switched call. Additionally, a communications network and method are needed to inform the called party of the phone number corresponding to the calling party trying to establish the circuit switched connection. These and other needs are satisfied by the communications network and method of the present invention.
The present invention is a method and communications network for screening incoming circuit switched calls directed to a mobile terminal operating in packet switched mode. The communications network includes a circuit switched network and a packet switched network. A called party uses the mobile terminal to transmit to the packet switched network a screening list containing at least one listed phone number. The packet switched network uses the screening list to inform the called party whenever an incoming circuit switched call of a calling party has a phone number that matches one of the listed phone numbers.
In accordance with the present invention a communications network and method are provided that will enable a called party using a mobile terminal in packet switched mode to choose the particular calling parties that may interrupt their ongoing packet communications.
Further in accordance with the present invention a communications network and method are provided that enables a called party to update a list containing phone numbers used to screen incoming circuit switched calls.
Also in accordance with the present invention a communications network and method are provided to inform a called party using a mobile terminal that a particular calling party is attempting to establish a circuit switched connection.
Also in accordance with the present invention there is provided a communications network and method to lower the use of a packet channel due to the screening of incoming circuit switched calls.
Further in accordance with the present invention there is provided a communications network and method that can be implemented into a Personal Digital Cellular System.